‘I noticed a person in a parachute. Then, within seconds, there was an eruption of flame,’ crash eyewitness says
An F-35A fighter jet crashed just before 1 p.m. Tuesday at Eielson Air Force Base. The pilot survived and the cause of the accident is under investigation.
A base news release says the pilot ejected from the aircraft and was uninjured. The pilot was taken to Bassett Army Hospital on Fort Wainwright for further evaluation.
The release says the crash resulted in “significant aircraft damage.”
There are two squadrons of the advanced jet fighters based at Eielson -- a total of 54. They're assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron and 356th Fighter Squadron
Each F-35A Lightning II costs just over $82 million.
Amanda Compton says she was traveling up the Richardson Highway when she saw the aircraft maneuvering strangely. At first, she thought it was all part of a training exercise.
“I remember thinking, ‘The military is doing some training that's very intense and highly skilled, and we're getting an amazing seat to it,’” she said. “And I noticed a person in a parachute. Then, within seconds, there was an eruption of flame. We went from seeing something that seemed very curious and fascinating to something wildly dramatic and then ultimately, potentially catastrophic.”
An Eielson Air Force Base spokesperson told the Anchorage Daily News that the jet crashed on the runway. The base’s news release cautioned motorists to not stop along the stretch of the Richardson Highway that passes by Eielson to observe the crash site. The main runway and flight line are visible from the road.
The release says federal law prohibits photographing the base and its aircraft from the highway.
Col. Paul Townsend Townsend spoke briefly about the plane crash during a 4 p.m. news conference at the base’s Visitors Center. He said the Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation of the crash.
“We will continue to look at the investigation and do our best to uncover any of the things that might have contributed to the incident,” he said. “But right now, I can stand and say that I have full faith in the capabilities of the F-35A.”
He said the pilot declared an in-flight emergency before he ejected, which means he encountered a malfunction with the aircraft that required an immediate response.
Townsend said it’s too early to identify the cause of the malfunction. He said that will be determined during the investigation into the crash.
Editor's note: KUAC News' Tim Ellis contributed to this report.